Discover culinary artistry at Papa’s: A 13-course journey in Mumbai’s Bandra
Papa’s is a veritable food museum, merging travel diaries and childhood food memories of Chef Hussain Shahzad, and his erstwhile mentor Chef Floyd Cardoz. Robust preparations and quirky flavours compose an offbeat, lip-smacking culinary experience inside the tiny 12-seater in Mumbai’s suburban Bandra.
Food: The 13-course tasting menu at Papa’s invites you to discover why Chef Shahzad is one of the emerging culinary talents in India. Tuck into the beautiful bebinca cosseted with black truffles and dates in a floral swirl; or the caviar-crowned chenna poda. Pair it with—what is best described as—a pizza in a glass, which teams marinara with vodka, in a Bloody Mary-esque spin. Hussain’s menu reads simple, and the dishes delight. Ribbons of shiny, cured trout and juicy watermelon curl up in a rasam broth, with glistening trout roe perched on top. Thayir sadam is elevated with the cracking shiso tempura. Tender rabbit from Nashik appears with a marinade tipped with soy sauce. Go for it as a wrap in a jowar pita bread roll with tangy kosho. What The Duck! is Hussain’s ode to the Hyderabadi biriyani marrying seven-day dry-aged duck with Indrayani rice. Potato Chips—a play on fried, truffle honey-tipped noodles—with champagne sabayon sheathing a tangy lemon sorbet is an inspiring desert.
Décor: Cupped in toasted woody tones, and warm amber, the intimate restaurant brings in 12 teal hip seaters at the sole table, with an informal bar. The counter has been upcycled from a wooden bar top from The Bombay Canteen.
Service: You can expect warm, genuine, effortless service. The playlist sets the vibe easily, with numbers pulled in by Hussain from his personal stack.
Price: At Rs 5,000 plus taxes per head, this is not really easy on the pocket.
Timings: Wednesday to Saturday, 8 pm onwards. Below 18 years not allowed
Papa’s at Veronica’s, Bandra West, Mumbai